5 mistakes we make when we think about personal development

Do you commit to too many learning and training programmes because you feel you don’t know enough?

I’d imagine that when you do, you’re unable to complete everything and end up feeling guilty.

I’m guessing you try to do a bit of everything here and there because you don’t want the money spent to go to waste, and even if you didn’t pay for the training, you still feel guilty because you see it as a wasted opportunity.

The resulting frustration is not only disruptive, but it also feeds into the false narrative we tell ourselves that we’re unable to focus or commit to anything.

You’re not alone in this. Most of us find ourselves in the same self-destructive cycle of taking on too much and not being able to complete the task at hand.

Here are 5 mistakes we all make when embarking on our personal development journey:

1. We don’t have a clear vision of our future
2. We don’t know our strengths and the areas that need improvement
3. We don’t create a personal development plan
4. We don’t learn from our mistakes
5. We keep doing the same over and over again

Get rid of the sense of failure and the associated guilt with the following 7 steps:

1. Reflect and set your vision
   • Write down your dreams. What do you want?
   • Who do you want to become?
   • What values are important to you?
   • What is your Why?
2. Outline your strengths and what you need to improve
   • Strengths
   • Weaknesses
   • Opportunities
   • Threats
3. Create your personal development plan
   • Reflect on what has worked well in the past and what was most challenging
   • What lessons did you learn?
   • What can you do better?
   • Set up goals with a target date
   • List any roadblocks that can prevent you from achieving your goal
   • Break each goal into small steps
   • Research available programmes and training aligned with your vision and goals, and be strategic and focused. Do not over commit.
4. Take action
5. Surround yourself with positive people
6. Practice gratitude
7. Be kind to yourself

Don’t give up if you’re frustrated with your progress and feel like you’re getting nowhere. Return to step 1 and double down on your dreams, vision and goals. Always ask yourself what you’ve learned today and use that to propel yourself forward.